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Village looks at two options for police, fire and municipal space; board leans toward Hartbrook site for police/admin
Summary
Architects presented two configuration options for a new public safety and municipal facilities plan. Trustees favored locating police and municipal administrative/voting functions at Hartbrook Park and keeping fire operations at the Long Street site or a rebuild there; staff will return with cost comparisons and a teardown‑vs‑remodel analysis.
The Village of Hartland heard schematic plans and cost estimates for two options to replace or renovate aging public safety and municipal office space, and trustees signaled a preference for keeping police and municipal administrative/voting space at Hartbrook Park while addressing fire station needs at the Long Street site.
Why it matters: The project would change how the village houses core public services and would likely require municipal borrowing; staff estimates put the two main options in a similar cost band and warned that site work and compliance upgrades are major drivers.
What presented: Village staff and architects described two main options. Option A would place a combined public safety building (police and fire) on the Long Street site with administrative/voting and a small community space at Hartbrook Park. Option B would build a new fire station at Long Street and place police and the administrative/voting functions together at Hartbrook Park; the park building could later accommodate additional recreation/community space if funding becomes available.
Budgets and design constraints: Architects said both options have comparable square footage and similar cost ranges; preliminary budget estimates ranged broadly and depended on whether the Long Street work reused existing masonry walls or was a ground‑up rebuild. Staff warned that selective remodels of the current Long Street fire station can be expensive and sometimes approach the cost of a new building because of code, HVAC, plumbing and structural work. Site work at Hartbrook (paving, stormwater and sewer trunk work) is another major cost driver.
Board feedback: Trustees and department chiefs discussed response times, accessibility, vehicle circulation and future growth. Several trustees said Hartbrook offers better vehicular access and central location for police, and some favored separating the functions (police/admin at Hartbrook; fire at Long Street) to avoid crowding on the Long Street parcel. Chief and staff said either site could work operationally.
Requested follow‑up: Trustees asked staff to return with a short list of follow‑up items, including (a) a cost comparison of renovating the existing Long Street fire station versus a ground‑up new build on that site, (b) updated tax‑impact scenarios and borrowing models, and (c) a version of the Hartbrook plan that shows a larger community/recreation space (funding‑dependent). The board asked staff to bring the building cost comparison back at the next meeting cycle.
Ending: No formal decision was made. Staff will refine costs and return with the requested teardown‑vs‑remodel comparison and an updated financing analysis; trustees directed staff to schedule a follow‑up work session.
